After leaving high school, there are various career paths for students to choose from. One of the fastest-growing courses in the world follows the computer technician degree. Since we are becoming more and more reliant on these devices, it only makes sense that more computer technicians are necessary.
If you are looking for a hands-on job that focuses a lot on problem-solving skills, this career path may be perfect for you. Below, we will be discussing everything that there is to know about the computer technician degree.
- What Is a Computer Technician Degree?
- What Does a Computer Technician Do?
- What Kind of Jobs Are Available for People with this Degree?
- Get Certified
- Pursue a Formal Education
- Learn the Ins and Outs of Computers
- Volunteer Your Skills
- Apply for Internships
- Update Your Resume and Look for Job Openings
What Is a Computer Technician Degree?
Computer technicians can be hired in order to complete a number of tasks. From smaller, simpler jobs to massive projects (like building supercomputers) – this degree will open a number of doors.
You would struggle to find a single industry that does not make use of computers in some way.
For this reason, the computer technician role will always be essential in order to keep the world as we know it, working efficiently and effectively.
In fact, computer technician employees happen to be some of the most in-demand in the world.
A Basic Description
In short, a computer technician can be hired to install, maintain, and troubleshoot both software and hardware.
Many businesses keep a computer technician on hand in order to fix any issues that their computers may run into.
If you are thinking about going into this career field, you are unlikely to ever have to worry about a lack of work opportunities.
What Does a Computer Technician Do?
As we have already mentioned, computer technicians can be hired in order to complete a number of essential tasks.
However, it is important to note that many technicians will have completely different day-to-day routines.
The type of work that you will do as a computer technician will also heavily depend on the type of industry and organization that you work for.
For example, if you were hired by a corporate business, you are likely to maintain computers within the company and fix any issues that may present themselves.
Common Tasks
On the other hand, if you work for a hardware company, your daily job is more likely to revolve around creating and fixing computer components.
There are a variety of tasks that computer technicians perform on a daily basis. This includes the below.
- Setting up hardware components
- Installing different software
- Performing repairs and maintenance checks on different computers
- Managing the security updates on different computers
- Fixing any software or hardware issues
- Performing regular software checks and updates
- Answering any technical questions
What Kind of Jobs Are Available for People with this Degree?
As you would have seen, there are a variety of different paths that you can follow after obtaining your computer technician degree.
For example, if you prefer working with the software side of computers, you could opt to become a software developer.
On the other hand, if you find the hardware side more exciting and appealing, there are plenty of hands-on jobs that you may want to look into.
It is important to remember that this decision should be entirely based on your skills and preferences.
Popular Options
As we have already mentioned, there are a variety of opportunities for you to choose from after obtaining a computer technician degree.
A few popular positions that students with computer technician degrees go into include the following.
- Data scientist
- Information security analyst
- Web developer
- Information technology manager
- Network and systems administrator
- Software developer
- Sales engineer
- Computer support specialist
- Computer research scientist
- Computer systems analyst
Get Certified
The first thing that you should do after deciding on a career as a computer technician is earn a certification.
This certification can be in computer or help desk support – either way, it will drastically improve your chances of being hired by a big company in the future.
You can start by considering a foundational certificate. For example, the CompTIA A+ certification will help make your future CV stand out when compared to other job applicants.
You could even obtain the Google IT Support Professional Certificate in order to learn job-ready skills that will come in handy on the CompTIA A+ exam.
Why Should I Get Certified?
Some companies will require you to become certified in the specific product that they use.
For example, if you are hired by an Apple Store, the chances are that you will first need to complete the AppleCare Mac Technician certification.
In this way, obtaining different certifications beforehand will show off your eagerness to learn. More so, these certifications will make your resume stand out.
Pursue a Formal Education
You will not get any jobs as a computer technician if you do not undergo formal training and education.
Having a degree in computer science (or any other related field) will also be extremely helpful, as it will make your resume stand out when compared to other job applicants.
It is very important that you research exactly what jobs will be made available to you with the different degrees.
Education requirements also vary between the different jobs. For example, some positions may only require an associate’s degree, while others have a minimum requirement of a master’s degree.
Online Degrees
Students all around the world are choosing to complete their studies through online learning.
There are a number of reasons for this – for example, you will be able to complete the course in your own time and at your own pace.
More so, these courses encourage self-driven experimentation, a concept that suits this particular degree.
Learn the Ins And Outs of Computers
In order to truly excel in this field, you will need to understand the ins and outs of computers.
In other words, your education should cover the structure and assembly of basic devices. In this way, you will be able to build, take apart and rebuild computers in the future.
These specific skills are absolutely essential if you are to pursue a career related to computer hardware.
More so, if you understand exactly how the device works, you will also be able to link certain problems to specific components.
Build a Computer
In this way, restoring faulty computers and getting to the bottom of common issues will be much easier.
One way you can drastically improve your computer knowledge is by building your own computer. After learning about the components, you will have an idea of how to assemble a basic device.
There are also tutorials on YouTube and other websites that can be used in order to improve your knowledge even more.
Volunteer Your Skills
In the working world, experience is everything. For this reason, it is essential that you get as much experience as possible before applying for a long-term job.
This can be done through learnerships, internships, and volunteering.
Even though you may not earn money while volunteering, it is still a great way in which to improve your skills and knowledge.
Practice as Often as You Can
The more practice you have in the field, the better your chances of being hired by a big company will be.
It is important to remember that there are thousands of students all over the world who obtain the same degree as you.
In order to make your resume stand out, you will need to provide as much work experience as possible.
Apply for Internships
Another popular way in which many computer technician students gain experience is by applying for different internships.
In this way, you will learn exactly what the daily tasks of a computer technician are. Plus, working in an actual business environment will develop a few other vital skills that will be essential in the future.
For example, you will need to communicate with different people while working at this internship.
Because of this, your communication and collaboration skills will drastically improve. Your critical thinking and problem-solving skills will also benefit through this experience.
Gaining Valuable Experience
We have already discussed the importance of gaining valuable work experience before applying for long-term jobs.
Applying for an internship is arguably the best way in which you can boost your chances of being accepted for a specific position.
As a fresh-out-of-college student, you will be competing with highly qualified professionals who have much more experience than you. Gaining as much experience as possible is absolutely essential.
Update Your Resume and Look for Job Openings
Finally, once you have gained valuable experience and completed all the relevant courses, you will need to update your CV and resume.
When it comes to applying for a job opening, your resume should show off all of your best qualities. For example, if you have ever been in a leadership position, be sure to mention this.
There are plenty of ways in which you can find suitable job openings. For starters, try using different websites in order to rake through thousands of online options.
You could also apply for jobs in person by visiting the company where you would like to work.
Show Off Your Experience
It is absolutely essential that you show off all your work experience in your resume and application.
In other words, be sure to mention any volunteering jobs that you may have completed.
More so, discuss your internship positions and any previous work experience that you may have had.
Conclusion
A computer technician is responsible for maintaining and fixing computers. There are a variety of job positions that you can choose from after obtaining your degree.
This includes a data scientist, information security analyst, web developer, and information technology manager.
